GM is moving forward with its "tweener luxury"
Buick brand and is looking to further expand its appeal with more fuel-efficient
models. Late last year, Buick announced that it would bring its LaCrosse
eAssist to market this year that will achieve 25/37 mpg (city/highway).

Today, Ward's Auto reports that the hybrid system will
also be filtering down to the slightly smaller Buick Regal. The Regal eAssist
will be powered by the same 180hp four-cylinder engine, 15hp electric motor
(fed by a trunk-mounted lithium-ion battery pack), and 6-speed automatic
transmission.

Ward’s reports
that the Regal eAssist will also achieve the same fuel economy as the LaCrosse
eAssist. However, the powertrain will not come as standard equipment as it will
on its more expensive big brother.

“It’s a very integrated powertrain system, with no
compromises in driving performance, shift quality or ride and handling,” said
Daryl Wilson, LaCrosse lead development engineer of the eAssist system in
November 2010. “We believe this combination points to the future of vehicles
powered primarily by an internal combustion engine.”

The standard 2011 Buick Regal starts at $26,245 and gets an
unremarkable 19 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway from its 182hp
2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. The eAssist model will no doubt cost at least a
few thousand dollars more pushing it closer to the $30,000 price point.

Kind of a Ford guy myself, but I do applaud GM for the "e-Assist" drivetrain, which strikes me as a good implementation of KISS engineering. Hopefully they'll be able to sneak it into a bunch of garages that wouldn't be caught dead with a Prius in them. 37 mpg ain't anything world-beating, but compared to Detroit's current CAFE, it's a significant step in the right direction.

"If a man really wants to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion." -- Scientology founder L. Ron. Hubbard